Many structures, and especially outdoor structures such as gazebos and pergolas, are provided with canopies to provide shade and/or shelter. At times, however, it may be desirable for such structures to be uncovered. To accommodate the desire for certain structures to be covered at some times and uncovered at other times, some manufacturers provide retractable or otherwise adjustable canopies. Such canopies may be retracted (to leave all or part of the structure uncovered) and/or extended (or cover all or part of the structure), as desired.
Retractable canopies are commonly constructed according to particular dimensions, may be laborious to assemble, and/or may require a certain degree of precision in assembly and installation to provide for smooth operation. These characteristics of prior art canopies may reduce the convenience of retractable canopies for some users. For example, these characteristics of prior art canopies may be disadvantageous for users who wish to install a canopy in a structure with dimensions which do not correspond to those of the canopy, or for users who lack experience in canopy assembly and installation.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.